History of Morris County, New Jersey with Illustrations, and Biographical Sketches of Prominent Citizens and Pioneers, 1739-1882; New York: W.W. Munsell & CO., 1882.

MORRIS COUNTY MILITIA IN THE REVOLUTION—INCIDENTS OF THE WAR.

THE militia organizations are not to be confused with the troops of the continental army. The act of the Provincial Congress regulating the militia passed August 16th 1775 provided for two regiments and one battalion for Morris county; and, "minute men" having been raised in the counties of Morris, Sussex and Somerset, Congress followed the suggestion and recommended all the counties to do the same. The two regiments of militia were called the eastern and western battalions. Morris county was to have six companies of minute men, who were held in constant readiness on the shortest notice to march to any point where assistance might be required. They were to furnish themselves with "a good musket or firelock and bayonet, sword or tomahawk, a steel ramrod, worm, priming wire and brush fitted thereto, a cartouch box to contain 23 rounds of cartridges, twelve flints, and a knapsack." Each man was to keep at his house one pound of powder and three of bullets. Many of these minute men having joined the continental army, on the 29th of February 1776 they were dissolved as a separate organization, and incorporated in the militia.

The following notes, taken from the "Boteler Papers," show the organization and officers of the Morris county minute men:

"At a meeting of the committee of the county of Morris, at the house of Captain Peter DICKERSON, at Morristown, on Thursday the 14th day of September A. D. 1775 (present, William WINDS, Esq., William De HART, Esq., Silas CONDIT, Ellis COOK, Peter DICKERSON, Jonathan STILES, Esq., Jacob DRAKE), the committee, having inspected and examined the several muster rolls, 6 companies of minute men of the county of Morris, and finding that a sufficient number of minute men as is directed by the Congress have enlisted, do recommend to the committee of safety or the Provincial Congress of New Jersey the following officers to be commissioned, to wit:

"William WINDS, Esq., as colonel; William De HART, Esq., as lieutenant-colonel; Mr. David BATES, as major; Mr. Joseph MORRIS, as adjutant; Mr. Timothy JOHNES, as surgeon.

It is probable from the names of these officers that the first company was raised in the Hanover neighborhood, the second in Madison and Morristown, the third in Mendham, the fourth in Morristown, the fifth in Roxbury and the sixth in Rockaway.

"William De HART, Esq., was chosen moderator, Jacob DRUM clerk. Voted unanimously that we will nominate to the committee three field officers and an adjutant, which field officers when commissioned we will freely serve under. William WINDS was unanimously recommended as colonel; William De HART, Esq., was unanimously recommended as lieutenant-colonel; Mr. David BATES was recommended as major; Joseph MORRIS was recommended as adjutant.

"The foregoing is an account of our proceedings this day, which we humbly offer to the committee of the county of Morris, and desire their recommendation of those officers therein nominated to the Provincial Congress or committee of safety of New Jersey to be commissioned."

In June 1776 the Continental Congress requested the colony of New Jersey to furnish 3,300 militia, to form part of 13,800 to reinforce the army at New York. Colonel Nathaniel HEARD was appointed brigadier general to command these levies, which were to consist of five battalions. Morris and Sussex were to furnish one of these battalions, and the regimental officers were: Ephraim MARTIN, colonel; John MUNSON, lieutenant-colonel; Cornelius LUDLOW, major; Joseph KING, adjutant; Joshua GORDON, quartermaster; Jonathan HORTON, surgeon; David ERVIN, surgeon's mate.

Lieutenant-colonel MUNSON lived near Rockaway, on the Hibernia road, and was engaged in the iron business. He was afterward colonel of the "western battalion" of Morris. Major LUDLOW had been first major of the "eastern battalion" of Morris. Surgeon HORTON had been surgeon of the "western battalion" of Morris, and was afterward a surgeon in the continental army. General HEARD's brigade in September 1776 numbered 160 officers and 1,762 enlisted men.

On the 16th day of July 1776 Congress requested the convention of New Jersey to supply with militia the places of two thousand men of General WASHINGTON's army, who had been ordered to march into New Jersey to form the flying camp. On the 18th of July an ordinance was passed detaching that number from the militia for that purpose. It was resolved that the two thousand militia should compose four battalions, consisting of thirty companies, of sixty-four men each. They were only to be held for one month from the time of their joining the flying camp.

One-half of the militia were ordered to be detached August 11th 1776, and called out for immediate service, to be relieved by the other half every month. One division of the militia, detached from every organization in the State, was ordered to march with all dispatch to join the flying camp, for one month's service. The second division was held ready to relieve them, to be itself relieved in turn. On this basis of monthly classes in active service the militia were held during the continuance of the war.

An act for better regulating the militia was passed March 15th 1777. It organized the force more strictly than formerly, and defined the duties and powers of officers, etc. The organization was still further improved, and the last ordinance was repealed by an act of April 14th 1778. This also divided the militia into two brigades.

On the 8th of January 1781 the militia were formed into three instead of two brigades. Those " of the counties of Bergen, Essex, Morris and Sussex, and of those parts of the counties of Middlesex and Somerset lying on the northern and eastern side of the Raritan River, and of the south branch of the same," were to compose the upper brigade.

The governor of the State, June 27th 1781, was authorized to call out a part of the militia, and continue them in service three months, for the purpose of co-operating with the continental army. Such men were exempted from service for nine months next ensuing.

Companies of artillery and troops of horsemen from time to time organized in sundry townships or cities, by direction of the governor or by special law enacted by the General Assembly of the State.

General STRYKER well says: "The good service performed by the militia of this State is fully recorded in history. At the fights at Quinton's Bridge, Hancock's Bridge, Three Rivers, Connecticut Farms and Van Neste's Mills they born an active part; while at the battles of Long Island, Trenton, Assunpink, Princeton, Germantown, Springfield and Monmouth they performed efficient service in supporting the continental line."

The eastern battalion, Colonel Jacob FORD jr. commanding, was detailed to cover Washington's retreat across New Jersey after the evacuation of New York in 1776--a service which was accomplished with honor and success. The campaign was known among the troops as "mud rounds."

The most considerable engagement, however, in which the New Jersey militia were concerned was the battle of Springfield, where the attempt of Knyphausen to reach Morristown was met and foiled principally by militia. An excellent account of this battle is contained in the following letter to the governor from General MAXWELL, who commanded the New Jersey brigade:

"JERSEY CAMP, NEAR SPRINGFIELD, 14th June 1780. "Dear Governor, "You will find by the inclosed that I had written to your excellency on the 6th inst. The person who was to have delivered it halted at Elizabethtown, and before daylight was alarmed. We were alarmed also by 12 o'clock, and had marched near your house when intelligence was received that the enemy were landing in force, with artillery and dragoons, and that their number would be at least 5,000. I thought Elizabethtown would be an improper place for me. I therefore retired toward Connecticut Farms, where Colonel Dayton joined me with his regiment. I ordered a few small parties to defend the defile near the farm meeting-house, where they were joined and assisted in the defense by some small bodies of militia. The main body of the brigade had to watch the enemy on the road leading to the right and left toward Springfield, that they might not cut off our communications with his excellency General Washington. Our parties of continental troops and militia at the defile performed wonders. After stopping the advance of the enemy near three hours they crossed over the defile and drove them to the tavern that was Jeremiah SMITH'S; but the enemy were at that time reinforced with at least 1,500 men, and our people were driven in their turn over the defile and obliged to quit it. I, with the whole brigade and militia, was formed to attack them shortly after they had crossed the defile, but it was thought imprudent, as the ground was not advantageous and the enemy very numerous. We retired slowly toward the heights toward Springfield, harassing them on their right and left, till they came with their advance to David MEEKER'S house, where they thought proper to halt. Shortly after the whole brigade, with the militia, advanced their right, left and front with the greatest rapidity, and drove their advance to the main body. We were in our turn obliged to retire, after the closest action I have seen this war. We were then pushed over the bridge at Springfield, where we posted some troops, and with the assistance of a field-piece commanded by the militia the enemy were again driven back to their former station, and still further before night. Never did troops, either continental or militia, behave better than ours did. Every one that had an opportunity (which they mostly all had) vied with each other who could serve the country most. In the latter part of the day the militia flocked from all quarters, and gave the enemy no respite till the day closed the scene. At the middle of the night the enemy sneaked off and put their backsides to the sound near Elizabethtown. Our loss was one ensign killed and three lieutenants wounded, seven privates killed, twenty-eight wounded and five missing. The militia lost several and had a number wounded. We have good reason to believe, from the number of dead left on the ground, and from the information of many of the inhabitants where they had their dead and wounded, that they lost three times the number we did. General STIRLING is among their wounded and thought to be dangerous, with Count DONOP killed, a son or nephew of the general who met the same fate at Red Bank. I am credibly informed that 47 of the enemy dead were found the next day scattered through the woods and fields, beside those whom they themselves had buried and carried off the first day. The main body of the enemy now occupy the ground by the old point and De Hart's house. Their advanced parties are as far as the Elizabethtown bridge.

"I am, with much respect and esteem, your Excellency's most obedient humble servant,

"WM. MAXWELL." The following is a roster of the field and staff of the two Morris county battalions, first organized in 1775, but reorganized in 1776.

Besides the staff officers named in the above rosters there were from Morris county the following staff officers: Constant Victor KING, ensign, lieutenant and adjutant; Cornelius VOORHEES, ensign, adjutant and commissary of issues; Zebedee COOK, quartermaster; Jacob ARNOLD, John STILES and Jonathan STILES, paymasters; Barnabas BUDD, surgeon in General WINDS' brigade, September 12th 1777.

The following were captains of militia, but the company, and in some cases the battalion, to which they belonged cannot now be ascertained. The letter E or W following the name shows whether the man belonged to the eastern or western battalion:

An independent organization, which was raised entirely in the county, and won for itself an enviable distinction for its long and faithful service and brilliant achievements, was the company known as Arnold's Light Horse. The following is a copy of the original enlistment paper of this command:

"We the subscribers do voluntarily enlist ourselves in the company of light horse belonging to the county of Morris, Thomas KINNEY, Esq., captain, and do promise to obey our officers in such service as they shall appoint, as agreeable to the rules of the Provincial and Continenal Congress. Witness our hands May 10th 1775. Jacob ARNOLD, James SERRING, Epenetus BEACH, James SMITH, Silas STILES, Patrick DARCY, John LOSEY, Benjamin FREEMAN jr., Samuel ALLEN, Stephen BALDWIN, Elijah FREEMAN, David EDMISTON, John CRANE, George O'HARA, Silas HAND, Jabez TICHENOR, Jabez BEACH, Robert GOULD jr., James FORD, Samuel DENMAN, Peter PARRET, George MINTHORN, John COOK, Samuel BOLSBURY, Adam BOSTS, John MILEN, Conrod HOPLER, Abraham HATHAWAY, John WINTERS, Samuel WIGHTON, John VAN WINKER, Aaron PARSONS."

Captain KINNEY shortly afterward resigned and ARNOLD took his place. While the above list shows the original members of the company there were many others who joined it afterward. John BLOWERS, Ephraim CARNES, J. C. CANFIELD, Joseph BUTLER, John CANFIELD and John ESTER are named as some of these recruits. BLOWERS in an affidavit found among the "CONDICT papers," before referred to, gives a good idea of the men who composed this force, and of the services they performed. He says he served first under Captain JACOBUS:

"The company of militia was drawn up to have a draft made from them to join the troops on Long Island. BLOWERS stepped forward, saying he would not be drafted but would volunteer, and was at once followed by Samuel FARRAND, John ESTER, Philip PRICE and as many more as were required of the company. JACOBUS had command. They were marched through Newark to New York, where they were six weeks laying up works, after which they were marched to Amboy, where there were other Jersey militia.

"On his return home, finding militia duties likely to be frequent, he joined Arnold's force. Stephen BALDWIN was a trooper there and did duty as a sergeant--an active and good soldier. The whole company, except when the enemy were strong and in case of sudden alarm, was not often together, but was divided and subdivided--two, four, five, eight, ten, etc., together--as circumstances required. Were often used as videttes to watch the movements and carry orders and tidings of the enemy. To train and discipline, were often assembled. Each man found his own horse and equipments. Knew BALDWIN in service every month during the first two years. Troop lay at Morristown when LEE was made prisoner at Basking Ridge. Had his horse stolen from him at Parsippany, and the man who brought tidings of LEE's capture to Morristown rode it and BLOWERS recovered it. BLOWERS and a part at least of the troop served at Millstone, Second River, on Raritan River, at Springfield, Connecticut Farms (where Hessians were taken, early in the war), at Elizabethtown often, at Newark, and Aquacknunk. He was in the battles of Springfield and Monmouth. In winter '76-7, when WINDS lay at Van Mullinen's near Quibbletown, he was stationed on the Raritan at the house of one Ten Eyck. Did duty at Trenton and Princeton carrying orders. At Hackensack had like to have been taken prisoner near a British fort in the neighborhood of Hackensack. The troop did not do duty by monthly turns, as infantry, but were in constant watchful duty as videttes and express carriers to the end of the war."

In the minutes of the Provincial Congress there is mention made of an appropriation to Thomas KINNEY for expenses in escorting Governor FRANKLIN to Connecticut --a service exceedingly hazardous.

From these CONDICT papers many interesting facts concerning the services of the militia and the frequency with which they were called out can be gathered. Take for example the affidavits of James KITCHEL, who entered. the service at the request of his father, Abraham KITCHEL, Esq., August 1st 1776, when but seventeen years old, under Captain Isaac HALSEY, in Colonel FORD's regiment. He marched first to Elizabethtown, where he remained until he was taken sick and brought home by his friends, being gone in all four months. He enlisted under Captain Josiah HALL in January 1777, for three months, when the British lay at New Brunswick, and was stationed at Quibbletown. He was in several engagements at Ash Swamp, Woodbridge, Quibbletown and other places. He served one month under Captain Charles OGDEN in the summer of 1779, and lay guarding the lines at Pompton and building a fort there. One month he served under Captain Stephen JACKSON, at Elizabethtown, in the summer of 1777; one and a half months under Captain Joseph BEACH, guarding Morris jail, when twenty-one men were confined there under sentence of death, and two were hung by Sheriff CARMICHAEL. In the fall of 1777 he served under Captain John BIGELOW, near Hackensack, and was in the attack upon a British fort at Pollyfly under General WINDS. In 1779 he served at Elizabethtown, Blazing Star and Trembly's Point, during the summer and fall, under Captain BATES, Colonel THOMAS and General WILLIAMSON. In 1780 he served at Elizabethtown one month, under Captain HORTON.

Henry WICK (on whose farm the Revolutionary army encamped in 1780-81) was at one time captain of a Morris county company of cavalry, which did good service during the war. He was frequently detailed as guard of Governor LIVINGSTON and of the privy council. At one time near Camptown one of the members of the Provincial Congress, Caleb CAMP, was surprised by a party of British infantry at his own home, and while he was deliberating as to the possibility of getting to his horse in the barn, and so away, Captain WICK's company charged in upon them and put the enemy to flight, though superior in numbers. The dead were found for three miles in the course of their flight.

From Dr. TUTTLE's "Revolutionary Fragments," published about thirty years since in the Sentinel of Freedom, we take these incidents of the war:

Mrs. Eunice PIERSON, daughter of Abraham KITCHEL, stated to the doctor that her uncle, Aaron Kitchel, was peculiarly obnoxious to the tories, and that on several occasions attempts were made to capture him. She said that a price was laid on his head. To one scene she was an eye witness. One dark night the family was surprised by the entrance of several noted tories, completely armed. There could be no mistake about their intentions, and high words ensued, in which Mr. KITCHEL gave them to understand that he was not afraid of them. At last, cooling down a little, they asked for cider, and he treated them liberally. In the meantime Mrs. KITCHEL, with real womanly shrewdness, perceiving that no time was to be lost, pushing her little niece, Eunice, toward the bedroom door, said, aloud, "This is no place for you; you must go to bed." She followed her into the room, closed the door and raised the window; Eunice was lifted out and told to hurry as fast as her feet would carry her to her grandfather's house, some rods distant, and tell him to come up with all the help he could muster. "I tell you, I was a great coward in the dark in those squally times," said the old lady, "and I was not long in going." Fortunately three of his sons were with the grandfather, and the tories, waking up suddenly to the sense of their having been caught napping, took to their heels.

David GORDON, who lived to a very great age and was for many years sexton of the Rockaway Presbyterian church, was in the service, and among the many anecdotes he told was the following account of a march his company made to Newark from Morristown -- a fine illustration of the democracy of the times, even among soldiers, and also the power of proper motives! The captain halted his company and thus addressed them "Brother soldiers, we must get to Newark to-night, and we cannot do it and march in a body. Let every man make his way as best he can, and if we get there each one of you shall have half a gill of rum for tea." "Oh, captain," roared his followers, "call it a gill, and then we can do it!" "Well, a gill it shall be, then," said the captain; "but halt when you get this side of Newark, and let us march into town as brother soldiers should, together and in order!" The march was accordingly accomplished by each "on his own hook," and the valiant captain had the pleasure of entering Newark at the head of his company in the "brother soldier" way. In the night the men were roused up and embarked in boats, and were rowed down the Passaic in perfect silence. They landed on the salt meadows and marched up to a little village, probably Bergen. The object of this expedition Dr. TUTTLE inferred to have been to break up a gang of tories, some of whom were captured and carried to Morristown.

Among the incidents of the battle of Springfield was a disagreement between General HEARD and Colonel HATHAWAY, the latter accusing his superior of having unnecessarily retired from the field. The following is a verbatim copy of the charges he preferred, which shows that the gallant colonel could use his sword probably better than his pen:

"MORRISTOWN, 15 July, 1780. "To his Exelencey the Governor-- "I send you in Closed Several charges which I Charg B. D. Haird with while he comanded the Militare Sum Time in June Last at Elizabeth Town farms which I pray His Exilency would Call a Court of inquiry on these Charges if his Exilency thinkes it worth notising

from your Hum Ser BENONI HATHAWAY "To exilencey the Governor Lut. Coll." "This Is the Charges that I bring against General Haird While he Comanded the Militia at Elizabethtown farms sum time in Jun last 1780.

"1 Charg is for leaving his post and Marching the Trups of their post without order and Leaving that Pass without aney gard between the Enemy and our Armey without giving aney notis that Pass was open Between three and fore Ours.

2 Charg is Retreating in Disorder Before the Enemy without ordering aney Rear gard or flanks out leading of the Retreat Him Self.

3 Charg is for marching the Trups of from advantiges peace of ground wheare we mit Noyed them much and Lickley prevented thear gaining the Bridge at Fox Hall had not the Trups Bin ordered of which prevented our giving our armey aney assistence in a Time of great Destris.

"4 Charg is for marching the Trups of a Boat one mile from aney part of the Enemy and Taken them upon an Hy mountan and kept them thear till the Enemy had gained Springfeald Bridge.

Dr. Ashbel GREEN, son of Dr. GREEN of Hanover, and afterward president of Princeton College, was a volunteer in the Morris county militia, and served under General HEARD when he was left with three brigades to guard New Jersey; Washington, with the main army, having gone up to West Point. In his biography is a very graphic account of an unsuccessful attempt to drive the enemy from Elizabethtown Point, undertaken under a very false impression as to their numbers. The militia behaved with great steadiness, advancing under a heavy artillery fire, and only showed want of discipline in firing at some redcoats who were being brought in as prisoners, supposing them to be the enemy advancing in force. He stated that his colonel, who was a very brave but a very profane man, rode forward and backward before his regiment, and in a loud voice threatened to kill the first man who should fire another gun until he gave the order. Mr. GREEN contrasts the conduct of his colonel with that of his captain, Enoch BEACH, who was a deacon in his father's congregation, and a man of distinguished piety. He stood before his company with the greatest calmness and composure, and scarcely spoke at all, unless it was to drop now and then a word of encouragement to his men while they were waiting orders to advance. The troops were drawn off in good order by moving the militia in such a way as to give the enemy the idea that an attack was to be made in another quarter. The enemy's numbers were far superior to those of General HEARD.

There were some tories in the county, and they did great damage to the people; not by their acts of open hostility, but by murdering and plundering, mostly at night and in small gangs. The party led by the infamous Claudius SMITH was as much dreaded as any. At one time thirty-five of these men were confined in Morris jail. Two of them, ILIFF and MEA, were hung, and the remainder were branded in the hand and released. Those of the more respectable citizens who espoused the royal cause left the country and their estates were confiscated. Alexander CARMICHAEL and Aaron KITCHEL, as commissioners, advertised for sale on Tuesday March 30th 1779, at the house of Jacob ARNOLD, in Morristown, the real estate of Thomas MILLIDGE, Stephen SKINNER, John TROOP, John STEWARD, Ezekiel BEACH, Joseph CONLIFF, John THORNBURN, Asher DUNHAM, Richard BOWLSBY, Philip VAN CORTLAND, Samuel RYERSON, Jacob DEMAREST, Isaac HORNBECK, William HOWARD and Lawrence BUSKIRK, an inquisition having been found and final judgment entered against them. These men were the prominent loyalists of the county. MILLIDGE had been elected sheriff, and but for his political sympathies would have been much respected and deservedly so.

The women of Morris county were not at all behind the men in their patriotism and in genuine sacrifices for their country. They nobly sustained and encouraged their fathers, brothers, husbands and sons in their work; and in the care of the sick and wounded, in manufacturing clothing for the destitute, and in tilling the soil while the men were in the ranks, they contributed their full share to the good cause. The story of Anna KITCHEL, of Whippany, sister of Captain Timothy TUTTLE and wife of Uzal KITCHEL, is well known. Being urged by a timid deacon to procure a British protection she told him, "Having a husband, father and five brothers in the American army, if the God of battles do not care for us we will fare with the rest!"